Question : CHILD LABOUR

(a)whether despite stringent laws, the child labour still exists in many parts of the country;

(b)if so, the details thereof along with the number of child labourers as per the latest data available with the Government, State/UT-wise;

(c)whether the Government proposes to strengthen/amend statute on child labour and also improve enforcement of these Acts in the country and if so, the details thereof; and

(d)the other effective remedial measures taken by the Government to curb the child labour in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.1 FOR ANSWER ON 24.11.2014 BY SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN AND SHRI E.T. MOHAMMED BASHEER REGARDING CHILD LABOUR.

(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. Child Labour is an outcome of various socio-economic problems such as poverty, economic backwardness and illiteracy. However, the total number of working children in the country has declined from 1.26 crore as per the Census 2001 to 43.53 lakh as per Census 2011. The state-wise details of working children in the age group of 5 to 14 years as per Census 2011 are at Annexure-I.

(c): To make the provisions of Child Labour Law more stringent, Government is amending the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986. The Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2012 was introduced in Rajya Sabha in December, 2012 and was referred for examination to the Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Labour. The PSC submitted its observations and recommendations. The recommendations of the PSC and suggestions of other stakeholders have been considered in the Ministry and the process of official amendments accordingly initiated. The proposal inter-alia covers

(i) complete prohibition on employment of children below 14 years and linking the age of prohibition with the age under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009

(ii) prohibition of working of Adolescents in mines, inflammable substances or explosives and hazardous processes as defined in the Factories Act, 1948,

(iii) stricter punishment to the offenders and making the offences under the Act cognizable.

(d): For rehabilitation of child labour the Government is implementing the National Child Labour Project Scheme since 1988. The scheme seeks educational rehabilitation of children working in hazardous occupations and processes. Under the Project, children rescued/withdrawn from work are enrolled in the NCLP Special Training Centres which have the provisions of bridge education, vocational training, mid day meal, stipend, health care, etc. before being mainstreamed into formal education system. The Scheme also envisages awareness activities against the evil of child labour and for enforcement of Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986.